Esophageal atresia

Alternative names:

tracheoesophageal fistula

Symptoms:

• excessive salivation
• drooling
• poor feeding
• coughing, gagging and choking associated with attempted feeding
• bluish coloration to the skin (cyanosis) associated with attempted feedings
• polyhydramnios

Signs and tests:

Excessive amniotic fluid (polyhydramnios) will arouse suspicion of esophageal atresia or other obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract.

As soon as the diagnosis is suspected, an attempt to pass a small feeding tube (nasogastric tube) through the mouth or nose into the stomach should be made. Passage of a tube is often done routinely in the delivery room or immediately on arrival at the newborn nursery for several reasons: to detect esophageal atresia, to detect choanal atresia and to suction excess secretions from the stomach of the newborn infant.

An X-ray of the esophagus shows an air filled pouch, and air in the stomach and intestine.